The Camp Fire Girls on the edge of the desert

In Short

This narrative follows a group of young women, led by the charismatic, former actress Mrs. Polly Burton, as they embark on an adventurous camping trip to the Arizona desert. Far from the constraints of Eastern society, the girls face environmental challenges and personal conflicts, including an unexpected friendship between the guarded Bettina Graham and a young, educated Hopi man. Part of a long-running series, the book serves as a snapshot of early 20th-century ideals regarding girlhood, community service, and the romanticization of the American frontier.

The Story

The story begins with the members of the Sunrise Hill Camp Fire club seeking a unique experience to broaden their horizons. Mrs. Polly Burton, the club’s guardian, organizes an expedition to the Arizona desert, hoping the wilderness will provide a respite from her own health struggles and professional weariness. The group travels by train to the Southwest, where they are met by a local rancher and taken to a site near a mesa. From the moment they arrive, the stark beauty of the region—with its dormant volcanoes and vibrant sunsets—captivates the girls, providing a dramatic backdrop for their growing independence.

Life in the desert is not without its trials. The girls must quickly master the art of survival, learning to manage water, set up camp, and work in harmony. As they fall into a routine, internal tensions emerge. While some girls, like the capable and pragmatic Peggy Webster, thrive under the physical demands of camp life, others struggle to adjust. The central conflict arises from the budding, unconventional friendship between Bettina Graham and a young Hopi man named Tewa. Bettina, often perceived as reserved and intellectual, finds in Tewa a kinship that defies the expectations of her peers and her chaperone.

This connection creates friction within the group. Mrs. Burton, despite her own unconventional past, worries about the societal implications of such a friendship, particularly regarding Bettina’s mother back in Washington. Tensions escalate during a violent desert sandstorm, which serves as a crucible for the girls’ courage. As the storm threatens their campsite, the girls are forced to rely on one another, temporarily setting aside their differences.

As the narrative progresses toward the climactic Snake Festival, the girls witness the traditional rituals of the Hopi. The final act of the story centers on the uneasy tension between the travelers and the surrounding culture. Bettina continues to seek out Tewa, leading to a confrontation with an increasingly frustrated Mrs. Burton. By the end of the trip, the girls have not only learned to navigate the physical dangers of the desert but have also been forced to define their own moral boundaries and loyalties. The story concludes with the group moving on, leaving the reader with the promise of future growth as they prepare to continue their journey toward the end of the trail.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Mrs. Polly Burton invites her young charges to leave their comfortable Eastern homes for a year of outdoor discovery in Arizona. The journey creates an immediate sense of anticipation, though the chaperon is already burdened by concerns over the girls' diverse temperaments and her own waning strength.

Arrival at the frontier Upon reaching the desert, the girls are struck by the intense, vivid colors of the landscape and the presence of ancient, extinct volcanoes. They quickly establish their camp, finding that while the desert offers beauty, it also demands rigorous labor and constant vigilance.

The rising tension The girls form distinct, sometimes clashing subgroups as they adjust to the isolation. Bettina’s growing interest in Tewa, an educated Hopi man, becomes a point of contention, causing friction between her and her guardian, who fears social scandal.

The storm and the trial A sudden, violent sandstorm tests the physical and mental fortitude of the entire group. In the face of nature’s raw power, the girls are forced to act decisively, proving their capabilities while revealing the underlying fractures in their community.

The final ritual The group observes the traditional ceremonies of the Hopi, a moment that brings them into direct contact with a culture they do not fully understand. The experience leaves them changed, prompting a final period of reflection and readjustment before they continue their westward path.

The People

Polly Burton is the heart of the expedition, a former actress whose vivacious and emotional nature makes her a fascinating, if sometimes inconsistent, mentor. She wants to provide the girls with a transformative experience, but her own fear of conventional disapproval often conflicts with her desire to support them.

Bettina Graham is the primary catalyst for the book’s internal drama. Her desire for genuine, independent connection leads her to Tewa, putting her at odds with her more conventional background. She undergoes a quiet maturation, moving from a girl defined by books and poetry to one who asserts her own agency.

Peggy Webster acts as the grounding force of the group. Her common sense and loyalty make her a natural leader. She serves as a mediator between her aunt and the other girls, particularly Bettina, trying to keep the peace while remaining true to her own pragmatic values.

Tewa, the young Hopi man, represents a bridge between two worlds. Educated and composed, he is a figure of quiet dignity who challenges the prejudices of the visitors. He does not change to fit their world; instead, his presence forces the girls to confront their own biases and their limited understanding of the people whose land they are traversing.

In Its Own Voice

"In the moon of the peach blossoms, / Towards the land of the setting sun, / Ghosts of old camp fires keep calling; / Camp fires whose race has been run."

Bettina reads these lines aloud to herself, setting the tone for the group's longing for adventure and the "dream places" they hope to find in the West.

"He was not riding, but walking more swiftly and more surely than any four-footed animal trained to the western trails."

The narrator describes Tewa’s arrival, highlighting the contrast between the girls’ reliance on horses and his own deep, innate connection to the desert environment.

"I have made up my mind that if I was permitted to be a Camp Fire guardian, I must reform my own temper before I could influence the girls."

Mrs. Burton admits her own character flaws while speaking to Gerry, revealing the internal work she must do to guide her charges effectively.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book examines the tension between personal freedom and social duty. The desert serves as a transformative space where the girls are stripped of their Eastern comforts, forcing them to confront the question of whether they are capable of living authentic, self-determined lives. The narrative also grapples with the "human equation"—how different temperaments, when placed in an extreme environment, either harmonize or fracture. Beneath the adventure, the book asks whether one can truly respect and understand a culture that is radically different from one's own, or if the "civilized" observer is destined to project their own prejudices onto the landscape and its people.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy historical juvenile fiction will find this a charming, if dated, window into the Camp Fire movement's ethos of outdoor education and character building. The prose is warm and descriptive, particularly when capturing the harsh, ethereal beauty of the American desert, which remains as evocative today as it was in 1917.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes regarding Indigenous people, which are filtered through the romanticizing, patronizing lens of the early 20th century. While the book portrays the Hopi with a measure of admiration, it does so from a position of colonial superiority that can feel jarring. Furthermore, the dialogue sometimes leans into the overly earnest, preachy tone typical of the era's youth literature. Those interested in the history of American girlhood and the evolution of the adventure genre will appreciate the book’s focus on female friendship and independence, even if the characters’ internal growth is sometimes secondary to the external excitement of their journey. It is a slow, atmospheric read that rewards those interested in the cultural landscape of the past.